Triple plug receptacle



2,1949? Y l G; B. BENANDER Y v 2,477,952

TRIPLE PLUG RECEPTACLE v Filed Aug. 12, 1948 Inventor: George B. Benande is Attomy.

Patented Aug. 2, 1949 ESTA-TB TRIPLE PLUG RECEPTACLE Y George,. Benander, Oa

Monowatt Incorporated necticut klawn, R. I., assignor to ,l a corporation of Con- Application August 12, 194s, serial No. 43,862

2 Claims. 1

In connection with plug receptacles such as are used for house wiring, for example, it is often desirable to have a receptacle to which three plugs or attachment caps may be connected, i. e. a receptacle with three pairs of plug openings or slots. Also, in such receptacles, it is desirable to provide binding posts or screws on each side of the receptacle so that two two-conductor cables may be connected to the receptacle, one cable carrying current to the receptacle, and the other leading from the receptacle to another wiring device, the receptacle thus serving as a wire splicer.

One object of my invention is to` provide an improved plug receptacle, having three pairs of plug openings or slots and two binding screws on each side, which is simple in structure and economical of material, whereby it may be manufactured at low cost.

Another object of my invention is to provide a receptacle having an improved contact structure which, while simple and economical to manufacture, grips the prongs of a plug on both sides so as to provide rm electrical engagement and firm seating of the plug.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and to the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a face view of a plug receptacle embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof with a part of a backplate broken away; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5, Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an exploded View of the contact structures and housing, looking from the rear.

The receptacle comprises a base or housing of suitable insulating material having a top or face wail I provided with three pairs of plug openings or slots 2, side walls 3, and end walls 4. Extending longitudinally of the base is a partition wall 5 which, with the side and end walls, denes two pockets or chambers 6 and 1. These are open at the bottom or rear of the receptacle. They are covered by a thin backplate 8 of insulating material held in place by suitable fastening means 9. In the present instance, a faceplate I0 is shown as being formed integral with the base and as having its side edges provided with longitudinally extending grooves II whereby one or both edges may be broken off for ganging after the manner disclosed and claimed in my Patent 2,212,145, patented August 20, 1940. In faceplate I0 are` openings I2 to receive screws for mounting the structure on an outlet box. In each side wall 3 are two U -shaped slots I3 isolated from each other by tapered reinforcing walls L4 which serve to form a pocket for each slot I3.

In pockets 6 and l are contact structures adapted to be engaged by the prongs of a plug inserted in any pair of plug openings. Each contact structure comprises a longitudinally extending backplate I5 having integral with its rear edge two spaced tongues I5 which extend at right angles to the backplate and at their ends carry contact bars Il and I8 which are parallel to backplate I5. Contact bar II has two Wings I9 each provided with an inturned end 20 extending toward the backplate I5, and contact bar I8 has a single wing 2l provided with an inturned end 22 extending toward the backplate I5. Ends 20 and 22 stand in line with openings 2 and are spaced with respect to the backplate to grip the prongs of a contact plug between the ends and the backplate, thus providing a rm contact with each side of a contact prong. Contact bars I1 and I8 are provided with tapped openings 23 for binding screws 2li, the heads of the screws being positioned in the U-shaped slots I3. In backplates I5 are openings which stand in line with the inner ends of the screws so that the screws may be turned in Without interference. The free ends of contact bars Il and I8 are positioned in recesses in the front wall as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. Backpiates I5 on their forward edges have curved tongues 25 (Fig. 5) which engageV wall 5 to position the contact structure with respect to each Wall. The contact structures are of a width such that they t snugly in recesses 6 and 1.

It will be clear from a consideration of Fig. 6 that each contact structure can be stamped from a rectangular strip of sheet metal and formed up with a minimum of waste and with a minimum of forming operations. This enables the contact structures to be manufactured at low cost. At the same time, there is provided a contact structure wherein the prongs of a plug are engaged firmly on each side so as to provide good electrical connections.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A triple plug receptacle comprising a housing having a face wail, side and end walls, an open rear, and a longitudinally extending partition which divides the casing into two longitudinally extending pockets, said face wall being provided with three pairs of plug openings, and said side walls being provided each with two spaced U-shaped slots, contact structures in said pockets, each comprising a longitudinally extending backplate positioned adjacent to said partition, two bars integral with the rear edge of the backplate and spaced apart a distance such that they stand in line with said U-shaped slots, two wings on one of said bar s having inturned ends in -lin'e with two of said pairs of plug openings and one wing on the other bar having an inturned end in line with the other of said pairs of plug openings, the ends of said inturned ends being positioned close to said backplate to grip rmly plug contacts inserted between said ends and said 4bat'zlplate,

and binding screws in said bars with 'their heads 15 positioned in said U-shaped slots.

said bars.

GEORGE B. BENANDER. l1\I:11efe1"ences cited. 

